‘Did I say it wasn’t?” you could not continue after our marriage. It would not be practical.”
‘I agree ” Rather than soothe him her acquiescence seemed to spur him on to more arguments in favor of what he had done.
‘you are no doubt pregnant with my child. Suppose you were shot at again. The stress would be too much for you.”
‘You’re really worried about the stress thing and my being pregnant aren’t you?”
‘lt is a concern. Si.”
‘Salvatore have I somehow implied I was unhappy about you going to the effort to find my boss someone to replace me?”
‘No but you are too independent and no doubt see it as overstepping bounds on my part.”
‘ I haven’t said so. have I?” you did it because you knew you were going to marry me, no matter what. didn’t you?”
‘lt never occurred to you that I might stand firm in my refusal?” His sheer confidence amazed her even as she found it somewhat comforting.
‘And you probably find that arrogant on my part.”
‘WeII yes, but I don’t mind.”
‘you are not upset about the assistant.”
He said it as a statement but she answered anyway.
‘No. You wanted me to be comfortable leaving di Adamo and I appreciate that.”
‘you do?” He looked and sounded shocked.
She laughed. ‘l’m not that independent.”
‘Excuse me but you are.”
Laughing again, she shook her head. ‘Maybe I am changing.”
She wanted the ties of family and that meant allowing a certain amount of interdependence. Not that she had a hope of remaining independent of Salvatore anyway. She needed him on a fundamental level that made her more vulnerable than she had ever been even with her parents. It scared her a little, but she was learning to accept the feelings he evoked in her.
‘And this change allows you to rely on me?” He leaned down and kissed her hard and slow and deep. She was a puddle of sensation when he stood up. ‘I like this change.”
She was too muddled by his kiss to answer.
Annemarie came home early from her trip to help with wedding preparations. The three women were in a war conference around the dining-room table when Salvatore and Francesco came in two nights later.
Salvatore leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth making Therese smile and Annemarie blush.
‘AII is arranged for the security of the auction.”
I do not understand why you must attend. Everything has been seen to already.” Francesco frowned at Elisa.
She gritted her teeth. She’d wanted this closer relationship but she was learning it had both benefits and drawbacks. ‘I am in charge of the auction. I cannot let di Adamo down.”
‘He has a new assistant.”
‘Who knows nothing about putting on an event of this magnitude.” She’d gotten something from her years of being Shawna Tyler’s daughter. 661 will be fine. Salvatore will be there watching over me.”
Francesco turned on his future son-in-law. ‘Why can you not speak sense into this daughter of mine?”
‘I have tried ” Salvatore ruefully confessed stand failed.”